SC asks Centre to seek withdrawal of CRPF security for Unnao victim

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday asked the Centre to file a separate application seeking withdrawal of the CRPF security cover provided following its order in 2019 to the Unnao rape victim, her family members and their lawyeRs

Expelled BJP leader Kuldeep Singh Sengar is serving a life term for raping the minor girl in Uttar Pradesh’s Unnao in 2017. The central government told a bench comprising justices Bela M Trivedi and Pankaj Mithal that the security cover to the victim and others may be provided by either the Delhi or Uttar Pradesh police and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) be permitted to withdraw. Taking note of the sensational rape case and the threat to lives of the victim and others, the top court, on August 1, 2019, had directed that the rape survivor, her mother, other members of the family and their lawyer be provided security by the CRPF and an officer of the level of commandant will file a compliance report forthwith. “Such security and protection shall be provided by the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF). The Commandant of the CRPF battalion in Raebareli or in any location near Raebareli where a CRPF battalion may be located, shall be responsible for providing adequate security and protection in terms of this order. “Such security and protection will be provided forthwith and compliance thereof be reported to the Court tomorrow (on August 2, 2019) through the Central Agency,” the order had said. The top court had also transferred all five cases registered in connection with the Unnao rape incident from a Lucknow court in Uttar Pradesh to a court in Delhi with the directions to hold trial on daily basis and completing it within 45-days. The Apex Court had also directed the Uttar Pradesh government to provide Rs 25 lakh as interim compensation to the rape victim. The court had further said that CBI will have to complete the investigation within seven days into the recent accident in which the victim and her lawyer were critically injured and two of her aunts killed. On Tuesday, the Centre said that it wanted the CRPF security cover be withdrawn and the same be given by the state police under whose jurisdiction the victim lives after following the due process. “Let them file an application in this regard,” Justice Trivedi said and posted the suo-motu (on its own) case titled as ‘Alarming Rise in number of child rapes’ for hearing after eight weeks.

Meanwhile, lawyer Mehmood Pracha, appearing for the rape survivor, said he has been representing her in the Delhi High Court and the Supreme Court and he does not need the security cover.